


One Of These Days

by planet_hopper



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Sort Of, Vault fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:01:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25525576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/planet_hopper/pseuds/planet_hopper
Summary: They've been dancing around each other so long, it was inevitable that they'd dance together one day. Or flail together. That would be more in character.
Relationships: The Doctor/The Master (Doctor Who), Twelfth Doctor/Missy
Kudos: 20





	One Of These Days

One of these days, Missy promises herself, she’s going to leave. 

It would be incredibly easy to. She had it figured out within an hour of being locked in the vault. The only reason she hadn’t cracked it sooner was because she had spent the first forty-five minutes snarking at the Doctor, who had annoyingly remained outside and not risen to her jibes, and then the next ten putting the fear of, well, _her_ into that sentient egg that kept him company.

The locks were bafflingly simple, and she was almost convinced that despite everything the Doctor said, he _wanted_ her to break out, go about, dancing around the stars once more, causing havoc to keep him from being bored.

She changed her mind when she broke out early the next morning.

Or rather, when she tried to.

There were some complications she had not foreseen, including several alarms, green goo (and now her shoes were ruined, oh he was going to _pay_ for that) and some sort of ridiculous net that she was now tangled in.

“Aha!” came the voice of the egg, “I told you, sir. I told you that you needed more protection around the vault.”

From her rather undignified position, dangling from the ceiling, Missy snarled at Nardole. He yelped very satisfyingly and jumped backwards, nearly colliding with a disgruntled Doctor who was just entering upon the scene. He took it all in, then turned to Nardole and asked, “Poisoned darts, really? I asked you to set up one alarm system, not twenty. And I already told you I had the situation under control. Why would you add Chell goo as a part of the defense systems? That stuff is hell to clean!”

Missy grinned, then wiped it off her face and the Doctor turned to glare at her.

“As for you! What part of _stay in the vault_ do you not understand?”

“Oh, but darling, I was bored,” she practically purred, “It’d been at least four hours since we last chatted. Now, do you mind cutting me down?”

The Doctor sighed and moved forward to do so, replying to Nardole’s protests with a wave of his hand and a stiff injunction to go to bed.

Once she was free, Missy collapsed dramatically, knowing the Doctor would catch her.

He did, but not without considerable panic.

“What-”

“I’m terribly sorry, but all this excitement seems to have tired me out. Would you assist me back to the prison cell?”

This face of his is so easy to read sometimes. She can see him considering whether to simply drop her or not. Finally, grimacing, he gathers her up in his arms, proper bridal style, and sets off.

Oh, this was _better_ than she had hoped.

Missy kept up her inane chatter as they neared the vault, well aware that the Doctor was not listening.

“And so I said to him, this is word for word mind you, I said that if I was going to be paid in watermelons, then there were some addi-”

“ _Missy_.”

“What?”

He sighed, set her down gently in front of the vault, and then looked her right in the eye. She really hated how much height this regeneration had on her.

“You said you’d try.”

“Hm?”

He sighed again, rubbed his eyes. 

“You know what I’m trying to say. You promised me you’d try to be good”

“Oh my _dear_ Doctor,” she rests an arm on his shoulder, “And how many times have I promised you that? That’s the trouble with hope I suppose”

She smiles at him, waits for a challenge, waits for him to promise that he’ll put a stop to whatever plans she’s cooking up. Waits for him to get all righteous and bang on about being nice or whatever, but he doesn’t do that. He just looks tired. His face crumples a little, and she knows she’s broken his poor old hearts once more. And even though she’s the self-styled queen of evil, destroyer of worlds, potential master of the universe, well, the look in his eyes would melt a stone. So she continues.

She taps him lightly on the nose.

“Sometimes hopes and dreams do come true. However,” she steps back into her cell, her cage, “You really shouldn’t count on it. Good night”

The doors slam shut.   
Oh, in the name of _Rassilon_ , what had she _done_? Was she getting soft? One sad look from him and she’d willingly walked back in? What was she coming to?

She probably just needed sleep, Missy decided. Although obviously not fatal, the execution had proved to be rather strenuous, and she wouldn’t mind having a safe spot to rest and recuperate, and least for a couple of days. And then… well, they’d just have to see, wouldn’t they?

-

Outside the vault doors, the Doctor rested his forehead against the cool metal, and allowed himself a small smile. Perhaps this time. Perhaps the next. Perhaps he had just lost too many to lose her as well, and was just deluding himself. But this time, he felt sure that they would be able to, one of these days, stand together again.

**Author's Note:**

> i have no idea what this is, but i hope you liked it!


End file.
